Chapter 3 The Phone Call

 

When I got home, I went up to my room. I started my homework. After five minutes, I heard the phone. I thought, 'Donna! What is it now? Doesn't she like Jack now? Are the colour of his eyes wrong?'

But when I answered the phone, it wasn't Donna.

Somebody said, 'Can I talk to Susie, please?'

'You're talking to her,' I said.

'Oh, hi, Susie! It's Jack.'

Really? What did Jack want?

Jack said, 'I hope you aren't angry. I found your number in the
phone book.' -

 

'That's fine,' I said. 'Do you want to talk to me about something?'

Then I thought, 'Of course he wants to talk to me! He's on the phone! Why did I say that?'

Jack said, 'Yes. Er, I'd like your advice.'

This was new. People didn't usually ask for my advice.

I said, 'OK, what is it?'

He didn't speak for a minute. Then he said, 'There's a girl at school. I like her very much, but I can't tell her. I talked to her two or three times. I think she likes me. But am I right? How do I know?'

I thought, 'Donna! It has to be Donna. He does like her.'

I said, 'Do I know this person?'

'Er, yes,' said Jack.

I said, 'What's the problem? Tell her.'

'I tried,' he said. 'I can't say the words. I wrote some poems about her, but I didn't give them to her.'

'Give Donna a poem and she'll put it on her bedroom wall. Then she'll laugh at it,' I thought.

I said, 'Jack, don't be shy. The girl likes you very much. I know it. See her and tell her.'

'Can't I do it on the phone?' he said.

'No!' I said. 'You have to see her and tell her. Don't be afraid.'

'OK,' he said.

Jack wasn't happy about the idea. I could hear that, so I tried to help. I said, 'That disco — can't you go?'

Jack sighed. 'Yes, I can. I said all that about my parents because —'

I said, 'Ask her to go with you. Tomorrow. She'll say yes. I know she will.'

'Susie, I -'

'Sorry I have to go now,' I said. 'I'm really busy. See you tomorrow, and don't be afraid. OK?'

'OK,' he said. 'Thank you for your help. Goodbye!'

 

'Goodbye!' I said.

I put the phone down quickly, before I started to cry. 'Oh, Jack!' I thought. 'Why Donna? Why is it always Donna? Why does she always get the boys?'

I didn't phone Donna then. I didn't tell her about Jack and the disco. I didn't want to talk to her.

Suddenly, I understood something.

When I went out with Donna, boys didn't see me. They looked at Donna and they talked to Donna. They smiled at Donna. And me? They didn't see me.

And Donna always wanted me to do things for her. Get this, Susie. Get that. Tell somebody this, Susie. Tell somebody that. Say sorry to him for me, Susie. And I did it! I did it because Donna was beautiful, and I...

... And I had freckles. It wasn't Donna, it was the freckles. Nobody looked past my freckles and saw the person under them.

I went back to my room and did my homework. You don't have to think about anything when you're doing homework.